The present invention relates to a light emitting element drive device and a lighting device. Specifically, the present invention relates to a light emitting element drive device in which an excessive rush current resulting from supplied electric power can be prevented at the time of performing electric conduction even though electric power is supplied to a plurality of light emitting element drive devices at the same time.
When a plurality of lighting devices are turned ON and OFF (starting and stopping) by a single power supply switch, a rush current flows in a power supply unit inside each of a plurality of light emitting element drive devices at substantially the same time when electric power is applied to each of the light emitting element drive devices inside the lighting devices by turning ON the power supply switch. When the rush current flows in the plurality of light emitting element drive devices at substantially the same time, the aggregated rush current becomes extremely large. Therefore, there are some problems. For example, noise is generated, and switch contacts are deteriorated.
In order to solve the above problems, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-172215 discloses a power supply device of an amusement machine in which a rush current can decrease at the time of turning ON the amusement machine. Specifically, when electric power for the amusement machine is applied, the power supply device is configured so as to start sequentially supplying the electric power to a plurality of control devices at intervals of a predetermined time difference.
Further, in Japanese Patent Publication No. H09-331017, when a light emitting element is in an OFF state, electric power for a lighting device is applied. Thereafter, the light emitting element is turned ON by supplying a driving signal for lighting. In other words, after the electric power is applied to a plurality of lighting devices at the same time, a plurality of light emitting elements in the lighting devices are sequentially turned ON by being supplied the driving signal for lighting at intervals of a predetermined time difference. As a result, the rush current can decrease.
As discussed above, when the turning ON and OFF (starting and stopping) operations of a plurality of lighting devices are performed by a single power supply switch, the overcurrent protective device shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. H09-331017 can be used to decrease the rush current at the time of applying the electric power. Specifically, the plurality of light emitting elements in the lighting devices are sequentially turned ON by being supplied the driving signal for lighting at the intervals of the predetermined time difference. Further, a delay circuit and an electric conduction switch that becomes operable to supply electric power by the delay circuit are provided at each power supply device for the light emitting element drive devices of the lighting devices. After the electric power is applied, the electric power is actually supplied by turning ON the electric conduction switch after a delay that is configured by the delay circuit. Thus, the time of lighting the lighting devices is changed.
However, when the lighting devices are turned ON by the driving signal for lighting at the intervals of the predetermined time difference shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. H09-331017, it is necessary to separately provide the control device that generates the driving signal for lighting. Because the control device controls each of the lighting devices, the configuration of the lighting devices becomes complicated.
Further, because the power supply device shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-172215 is configured so as to start sequentially supplying the electric power to the plurality of control devices at the intervals of the predetermined time difference, the configuration of the power supply device becomes complicated. Further, when a large lighting device is configured with a plurality of the same lighting devices, it is necessary to connect the same lighting devices to each other for control. This is difficult because each of the lighting devices has an independent configuration.
Further, when the time of lighting is changed by providing a delay circuit for each of the lighting devices, it is necessary to set a light time for every lighting device. Thus, there is a problem that adding and exchanging lighting devices cannot be easily performed.